2021 questions on the Super Astute

[Mechanic AH 581]

Sorry if people have answered these before. I went back and went thru some old posts (I also came across @Mad Ax questions on the SA). But, wanted to see where SA owners are now in 2021 and what have been your experiences with option parts. Also thought of consolidating some my questions here.

I have a 2018 and I plan on building it in the next few months so I’m starting to figure out parts since they take time to find and arrive. Not racing the SA just casual use. Any help and info would be appreciated:

Dampers
I want to keep the stock damper stays because I like the height and stance. What are the alternative dampers where I can keep the stock damper stays and maintain the same height? I did some searching but I can see the challenge of finding these nowadays at affordable prices or complete sets. So are these my options?

Same height
1. Egress dampers
2. TRF Aeration dampers 

Do these retain the same height?
3. Avante dampers 
4. Vanquish hi caps (the alloy ones—do these work with stock damper stays?)
5. Any other options? 

Wheels
Regarding wheels, I’m looking for pink ones. Before I paint or dye wheels, what are my options? I came across:

1. Pink astrals 
2. I looked at the Zahhak and TRF201 wheels but I can only use the front. I saw a photo from a member with rears that looks like the Zahhak wheels (am I mistaken? Photo attached) but don’t know how he/she fitted those wheel pins on hex. Are those different wheels or painted? Or were the wheel axles replaced to accept pins? And if so, anyone know what part number that is? Any thoughts?
3. Other brands are DE and…?

Practical things—things that break easily or need to be replaced right away?
1. Front bulkhead/brace? Read this has been resolved on the SA?
2. Anything on the steering side of things?

Motor
Planning to use brushed since I have a number of them. With the standard gearing and kit 25T pinion and spur, what have you found as the sweet spot motor in terms of Turns?

1991 and 2018
What were the major differences?

Any other thoughts? Thanks again and appreciate the patience!
 

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

I think the VQS are the period correct hop up. These are the same as the Egress shocks I think. I went with Top Force hi caps and a Dyna Storm tower from fibrelyte, just cos I like the look and the VQS shocks hadn't been released. Personally these are the best options for the period correct look.  From memory the DF03 shocks are the official hop up which would be great just not look as good.

It comes with adjustable links but not turnbuckles. I swapped the upper arms and steering tie rods to turnbucklss but didn't bother with the single link on the steering setup. 

It is fully ball raced but I swapped 850 bearings into the steering setup. It comes with bushings, which probably work fine and I did see some debate about bearings vs bushings.

Gears. I swapped out the mod .5 spur and pinion for Team Associated B4 48p spur and 48p pinion. You need to buy slipper pads too. I bought 2 spurs, one for 23T Super Stock (or 10.5T brushless), the other for a 17.5T brushless so I can run either. Its a simple swap and worthwhile as .5 mod gears are impossibke to find.

Think thats it. It has been really robust with my son driving in a small (big by UK standards, small by rural Australia or US standards but no alligators/crocs/snakes or scary spiders) backyard track with a super stock.

The only thing is, it doesn't take a silver can, or I've done something wrong. It needs quite a long motor shaft, so the Super Stock is the only motor that fits for me (or brushless)

Also, I got the decals all wrong 

[Mad Ax 9312]

I went in a slightly different direction as I race mine, so I fitted longer front shock towers and all carbon (that said, the rules for the Revival have changed this year so I'm not sure if the CF parts will be eligible any more).  I was advised to buy spare D parts as these break, but I had no breakages in a long day's hard racing on a modern track.  Actually I was advised to buy 3D printed versions that accept hex nuts instead of press nuts, but in the end the cost was too steep, it was cheaper to buy a couple of spare D trees.

I fitted Tamiya CVAs all round, I'm sure there will be a CVA option that fits the stock front tower, but I'm also not sure if these are technically any better than the stock shocks so might not be worth the upgrade.

Gearing - no idea, I stuck in a 13.5 brushless and went racing.

[Thommo 1217]

The D parts split at the recess for the press nuts over time.  

VQS dampers

Dye the kit wheels pink.  Blue Star Dish wheels look good !

Super Stock motor

Biggest difference is the gears and ratios.

Kit dampers were sticky at first but free up with running and definitely use a Li-Po battery to keep the weight down.

Most important is ...... Post photos when built !      Enjoy

[Mechanic AH 581]

Thanks everyone! All really helpful. I started furthering my research and started ordering parts. Hopefully, they'll arrive in a couple weeks or so since some are coming from overseas. I basically want to have the kit live up to the "Super" moniker. I feel like the SA has some missed opportunities. It's interesting because with the Egress (haven't built it yet) the only thing I have in store for it is aluminum front knuckles and no other mods since it I think it doesn't really need anything else. But the SA has some room for necessary improvements.

I think the hardest part to figure out was the wheels. I still can't figure out what that member did because it looks like DN01 wheels. I got lazy researching wheel axle parts with pins so I'll give for now. Came across DB01 dish wheels for the rears but it's in gray. So I have an alternative plan and will see if it works.

So this is on my list based on some of the feedback:

- VQS dampers 
- Pink Acto motor but this is not likely going to happen since they're rare and expensive and I'd like to get an excellent copy. So I'll go with an SS BZ and figure it out. With the BZ motor's gear ratio (9.1 to 11.1) , the ideal pinion is 23T to get there. But I'll see what the included 25T pinion can do and if it heats up too much will switch it out to 23T.
- Wheels, going to get another brand instead and dye or paint it pink. And some Proline tires
- Will get adjustable turnbuckles
- I'll hold of on spare front bulkhead/brace parts since I won't be racing anyway and from @Mad Ax experience I don't think I should worry.
- Ko Propo low profile servo and receiver, and a Futaba ESC
- Going to keep it 80% box art and do some other custom work

On 1/21/2021 at 2:12 AM, Jonathon Gillham said:

Team Associated B4 48p spur and 48p pinion. You need to buy slipper pads too

Thanks for the tip! I'll keep this in mind.

On 1/21/2021 at 2:12 AM, Jonathon Gillham said:

steering setup. It comes with bushings, which probably work fine and I did see some debate about bearings vs bushings.

I counted (metal bearings) to replace:

- (16) 730
- (4) 850
- (4) 1150

And that's a lot! So what was the debate about? Like bearings aren't necessary since most of it is in steering? 

 

On 1/21/2021 at 5:09 AM, Thommo said:

definitely use a Li-Po battery to keep the weight down. 

 

I may end up with NiMH since I have already a number of them 

 

On 1/21/2021 at 5:09 AM, Thommo said:

Most important is ...... Post photos when built !

Will do!
 

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

2 hours ago, Mechanic AH said:

Thanks everyone! All really helpful. I started furthering my research and started ordering parts. Hopefully, they'll arrive in a couple weeks or so since some are coming from overseas. I basically want to have the kit live up to the "Super" moniker. I feel like the SA has some missed opportunities. It's interesting because with the Egress (haven't built it yet) the only thing I have in store for it is aluminum front knuckles and no other mods since it I think it doesn't really need anything else. But the SA has some room for necessary improvements.

I think the hardest part to figure out was the wheels. I still can't figure out what that member did because it looks like DN01 wheels. I got lazy researching wheel axle parts with pins so I'll give for now. Came across DB01 dish wheels for the rears but it's in gray. So I have an alternative plan and will see if it works.

So this is on my list based on some of the feedback:

- VQS dampers 
- Pink Acto motor but this is not likely going to happen since they're rare and expensive and I'd like to get an excellent copy. So I'll go with an SS BZ and figure it out. With the BZ motor's gear ratio (9.1 to 11.1) , the ideal pinion is 23T to get there. But I'll see what the included 25T pinion can do and if it heats up too much will switch it out to 23T.
- Wheels, going to get another brand instead and dye or paint it pink. And some Proline tires
- Will get adjustable turnbuckles
- I'll hold of on spare front bulkhead/brace parts since I won't be racing anyway and from @Mad Ax experience I don't think I should worry.
- Ko Propo low profile servo and receiver, and a Futaba ESC
- Going to keep it 80% box art and do some other custom work

Thanks for the tip! I'll keep this in mind.

I counted (metal bearings) to replace:

- (16) 730
- (4) 850
- (4) 1150

And that's a lot! So what was the debate about? Like bearings aren't necessary since most of it is in steering? 

 

I may end up with NiMH since I have already a number of them 

 

Will 

I didn't replace all those 730 bushings. They are in the arms, keeping the shafts tight. I don't think they need to be bearings, and bushings are probably better than bearings

The ones I was meaning were the 850s in the steering setup. I replaced them but some people say then that the bushings are better

[Mechanic AH 581]

1 hour ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

I didn't replace all those 730 bushings. They are in the arms, keeping the shafts tight. I don't think they need to be bearings, and bushings are probably better than bearings

The ones I was meaning were the 850s in the steering setup. I replaced them but some people say then that the bushings are better

Got it. That's interesting about the metal bushings vs bearings. I tend to replace them, majority of the race buggies and scts come with ball bearings for steering (i.Yokomo YZ2/YZ4. TA RC10 b6/b7). But, I guess there are also valid reasons for not doing it.

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

37 minutes ago, Mechanic AH said:

Got it. That's interesting about the metal bushings vs bearings. I tend to replace them, majority of the race buggies and scts come with ball bearings for steering (i.Yokomo YZ2/YZ4. TA RC10 b6/b7). But, I guess there are also valid reasons for not doing it.

Yes I agree, all my race cars have bearings in the steering. The argument I've heard against it is that they don't rotate fully so you don't need bearings, but I don't agree and used them.

Look at the manual for those 730s though, they have no rotation in them at all so I think the bushings are better.

[Mechanic AH 581]

22 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

Yes I agree, all my race cars have bearings in the steering. The argument I've heard against it is that they don't rotate fully so you don't need bearings, but I don't agree and used them.

Look at the manual for those 730s though, they have no rotation in them at all so I think the bushings are better.

I see, ok I'll check it out. Thanks! Can't wait to build it but finishing up on one kit and waiting for some Astute parts.